The Washington critic., 1887-05-21
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Of President Garfield, says the New
York Tribune, 1t was suggested to Sec.
retary Window by Secretary Blaine that
whereas they had formerly made their
signatures in the abbreviated form of
VIM. Window and ]. G. Blaine, 1t
would be more appropriate and suitable
for them to spell their names out In full,
William Window and James G.. Blaine.
Mr.. Window acquiesced in the sugges.
tion, and spoke the other day about the
result of 1t, saying: Every morning
when / got into the Office at the Treas.
ury l found awaiting my signature a
pile OF papers which gradually grew
and grew untilit seemed to me to be
mountain high. l signed William
Window TO everything for four or five
weeks. But gradually the mere physi.
cal labor of signing became so great that
Twas obliged from sheer exhaustion to
60 back to the old VIM. Window. A
little later went still further and signed
merely w. Window. 1t made an i'm.
mense amount of difference In the phys-
cal labor that / had to perform, and
when for purposes Of Treasury Depart
ment work l. signed mere W. W.,
found that about three.fourths of my
burdens were lifted.
Nv
Senator George of Mississippi Is
member of the Committee on Labor
and Education, says Colonel Ayres in
his last Washington letter to the Kan
sas City Times, and while prosecuting
an examination into the social and In.
Gustrial statistics of the laboring classes,
he was recognized as the undoubted
friend of the workingman. Probably
the best illustration of his ruling idea
isfound in the history of the secession
convention of Mississippi, of which he
was member. A measure was re.
ported to organize an army. and Mr..
George moved an amendment that the
pay Of officers and privates be the same.
He argued that the resources of the
State In men and money would be
taxed to the utmost; that all the popu.
lation that could bear arms would be
enrolled; that all were equally In.
terested; that every man should
feel that burdens were to be equally
borne; that the army offices in most
cases would be conferred more by acci.
dent than otherwise; that there should
be no favors and no distinctions except
such as were necessary for discipline;
that all were expected to make sacri.
fees to secure success; that none were
to expect easy places or opportunities
for favors, and that advancement should
depend upon merit. His proposition
failed by only ten votes.
~
DR.. Duncan of the Land Office told
the Washington correspondent of the
Kansas City Journal, the other day, of
call he once made at the White House
with Mrs. General Sherman, to see
President johnson. He found old
Tom Corwin of Ohio with the Presi.
dent. While Mrs. Sherman button.
holed ANDY" DIR Duncan fell to
talking with Tom Corwin. and Corwin
said: "Once, when was In Congress,
young and new Senator from
Mississippi had seat next to mine.
My friend, said !, are you going to
make business of politics?' Il
am In the hands of my friends
replied the new Senator. That
means that you are chronic candi-
date,' l replied, and then | added,
See here, young man, If you
wish to succeed, let me give
you little advice-four simple rules.
Here they are: Never ask a man to take
drink-it costs money. Never refuse
TO take a diink-it might give offense.
Never loan a man n dolldr-unless he
gives you Spanish milled dollar for
security. Never care what happens
so long as 1t does not happen to you. +"
So much for Tom Corwin and the view
he took Of life In his day. Times have
changed since then and views with
them.
In one of his recent New York let,
tiers Mr.. Y. L. White speaks of meeting
Pay Director Cunningham of the
navy ut the Lincoln National Bank,
and the conversation turning on Charles
Stewart Parnell, Mr.. Cunningham said
that he had the original commission as
commodore of the famous Charles
Stewart, Mr.. Parnell's grandfather,
signed by President Jackson. THAT
commission" he continued, ''is a
curiosity. In the first place, it was
written by hand. All the commissions
Of United States officers were written
before the time of President Van Buren
after that they were printed In ordinary
type until the time of General Grant.
Now they are beautifully en-
graved The parchment In Andrew
Jackson's time was coarse, like
leather, and almost as thick
as this sheet of blotting paper.
Jackson's signature on Commodore
Stewards commission is a remarkable
one. The first initial Is at least three
inches long and correspopdingly heavy
and the remainder of the name Is pro
portioned to the first letter. You car
imagine how jackson, when he took
his pen to write 1t said Now this |.
for my old friend Charlie Stewart, ant
I'll give him n signature that will SHOW
him that mean IL.
".
The act creating the Department o.
the Interior was approved March )
1s40, and when Thomas Ewing, tht
first Secretary, proceeded to thu
organization of the Department, HI
employed two clerks from tho Lane
Oflice, one from the Indian Office, on,
from the Pension Oillce and appointed
five besides, three at agreed salaries o
81 500, 81, 400 and 81 200, respectively
subject to the approval of Congress